Effective at noon July 29, all open burning, including campfires and fireworks, will be prohibited in parts of the Northwest Fire Centre's jurisdiction to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.

The prohibition is going into place because of an elevated fire danger rating in the area in addition to a forecast for continued hot and dry weather.

This ban applies to open fires of any size, including campfires, fires with a burn registration number and industrial burning, fireworks, tiki torches and burning barrels.

The ban does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to portable campfire apparatus with a CSA or ULC rating using briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, as long as the flame is kept under 15 centimetres in length.

Within this area, the ban covers all BC Parks, Crown and private lands, but does not apply within the boundaries of local governments that have forest fire prevention bylaws and are serviced by a fire department. Please check with civic authorities for any restrictions before lighting a fire.

Anyone found in violation of an open fire ban, including campfires, may be issued a ticket for $345. Should a wildfire occur as a result of carelessness, a person can be fined up to $1 million or spend three years in prison and be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

The ban will be in place until September 1, 2010 or until the public is otherwise notified.

This campfire prohibition affects the area bounded by the administrative areas of the Nadina fire zone and the Bulkley fire zone. This includes the areas surrounding the communities of Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers, Hazelton, Kispiox, Terrace and Kitimat.